Lavandula plant named `Anouk Deluxe 169&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lavandula  plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; strong durable plants; freely flowering habit; dark purple to dark violet blue-colored flowers with red purple to purple-colored terminal flower bracts positioned on strong and erect peduncles; strong re-flowering habit; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lavandula stoechas.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ANOUK DELUXE 169’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Lavandula plant, botanically known as Lavandula stoechas, commonly referred to as Lavender and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’.

The new Lavandula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Nuis, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new unique Lavandula plants with good performance and attractive plant form and flower coloration.

The new Lavandula plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2011 of Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,685, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lavandula stoechas identified as code number 1252, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lavandula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Nuis, The Netherlands in May, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lavandula plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands since August, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Lavandula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lavandula have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Lavandula plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’ as a new and distinct Lavandula plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Strong durable plants.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Dark purple to dark violet blue-colored flowers with red         purple to purple-colored terminal flower bracts positioned on         strong and erect peduncles.     -   6. Strong re-flowering habit.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Anouk’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula have a stronger re-flowering         habit than plants of ‘Anouk’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘Anouk’ differ in terminal         flower bract color as plants of ‘Anouk’ have violet-colored         terminal flower bracts.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula are more upright than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula have smaller terminal flower         bracts than plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the         new Lavandula can be compared to plants of the Lavandula         stoechas ‘Sanne’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,632. In         side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ         primarily from plants of ‘Sanne’ in the following         characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lavandula are more upright than plants of ‘Sanne’.

-   -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘Sanne’ differ in terminal         flower bract color as plants of ‘Sanne’ have purple-colored         terminal flower bracts.

Plants of the new Lavandula can also be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Toscane’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,046. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Toscane’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula have a stronger re-flowering         habit than plants of ‘Toscane’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘Toscane’ differ in terminal         flower bract color as plants of ‘Toscane’ have light         purple-colored terminal flower bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lavandula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lavandula plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves and an inflorescence of ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following detailed description were grown in 3-liter containers during the winter and early spring in a glass-covered greenhouse in Boskoop, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lavandula production. Plants were 21 months old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 15° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour

Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Patent number 16,685.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lavandula             stoechas identified as code number 1252, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About ten days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 60 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 70 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; initially white in color             and becoming more brown with development; actual color of             the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer type and formulation.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright plant             habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance;             moderately vigorous growth habit; flowers arranged in             verticillasters on crowded spikes with showy terminal flower             bracts.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 47.9             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 48.3             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 52.8 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About 17             primary lateral branches developing per plant with numerous             secondary branches. Length: About 24 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.4 mm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Aspect: Upright to about 35° from vertical. Texture             and luster: Moderately tomentose; matte. Color, developing:             Close to 144B to 144C; pubescence, close to 157D. Color,             developed: Close to 199A and 199B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.             Length: About 3.7 cm. Width: About 5.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly             oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire;             revolute. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Moderately tomentose; matte. Fragrance: Strongly aromatic,             pungent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 143B to 143C. Fully expanded leaves,             upper surface: Close to NN137C; venation, close to NN137C;             pubescence, close to 157D. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to 138B to 138C;             pubescence, close to 157D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Small single salverform             flowers arranged in compact verticillasters on crowded             terminal spikes; freely flowering, about 100 flowers             developing per inflorescence and about 1,700 flowers             developing per plant; flowers with two-lobed upper lip and             three-lobed lower lip; flowers face mostly outwardly on the             spike; inflorescences with showy terminal flower bracts.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; continuous             from late spring into the summer in The Netherlands; strong             re-flowering habit.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             ten days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Moderately tomentose;             matte. Color: Close to 143C; towards the base, close to 144C             and 144D; pubescence, close to 157D.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 4.8 cm. Diameter, at             terminal flower bracts: About 1.8 cm. Diameter, below flower             bracts: About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 4.5 mm. Depth (height): About             8.5 mm. Throat diameter: About 1 mm. Tube length: About             5 mm. Tube diameter: About 1 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Upper lip, two-lobed and             lower lip, three-lobed. Length, upper lip: About 8 mm.             Length, lower lip: About 7 mm. Width, upper lip: About 2 mm.             Width, lower lip: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Roughly spatulate;             lower 75% fused into a tube. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper (inner) surface: Smooth, glabrous,             velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower (outer) surface:             Smooth, glabrous, moderately velvety; slightly glossy.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper (inner) surface:             Close to between 79A, N92A and 203B; with development, color             becoming closer to between N92A and 203B; throat, close to             N87B. When opening and fully opened, lower (outer) surface:             Close to between 79A, N92A and 203B; with development, color             becoming closer to between N92A and 203B; tube, close to             N87D.         -   Terminal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About five             positioned upright at inflorescence apex. Length: About             2.3 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Narrowly obovate to             narrowly oblong. Apex: Broadly acute to obtuse. Base:             Narrowly cuneate. Margin: Entire; moderately undulate.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately             tomentose (minute hairs); matte. Color, upper surface: Close             to between 70A and N77B; midvein, close to N77C; pubescence,             close to 156C and 156D. Color, lower surface: Close to             between 70A and N77B; midvein, close to 184B; pubescence,             close to 156C and         -   Basal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Each group of             five flowers is subtended by a single basal flower bract.             Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Broadly             rhomboidal. Apex: Broadly aristate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Densely tomentose; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 145D; venation, close to 143A tinged with close to             197B; pubescence, close to NN155C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, fused into a             campanulate tube. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper (inner) and lower (outer) surfaces: Densely             pubescent; matte. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper (inner) surface: Close to 144D; venation, close to             144A; pubescence, close to NN155C. When opening and fully             opened, lower (outer) surface: Close to 143B; towards the             apex, tinged with close to 197C; pubescence, close to             NN155C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Densely tomentose; matte. Color: Close to 147B to             147C; pubescence, close to 157D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to 86A.             Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 0.2 mm. Anther             color: Close to between N92A and 203B. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 14A. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 4.5 mm. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 203A to 203B. Style             length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 197C to 197D.             Ovary color: Close to 143B to 143C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Lavandula. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Lavandula have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lavandula     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lavandula have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate high     temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 7. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lavandula plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’ as illustrated and described. 